Friday, September 6, 2013

The Kingdom of Heaven "In" You - Part 2

The light, the power of God we discussed in the last entry, emanates from its source which is "God who sits upon His throne in the bosom of eternity." (D&C 88:12-13) It fills the entire immensity of space, and is "in," and "through," all things, including you. This light is called the light of Christ. (D&C 88:7)

By His accomplishments of "ascending up on high," and "descending below all things," The Lord Jesus Christ was given power to comprehend "all things." By so doing, He gained the power, ability, and right, to be the source of "the light of truth" which is in all, and through all things, including you. (D&C 88:6) This is the light of Christ. (D&C 88:7)

What does it mean that The Lord Jesus ascended up on high? In another revelation, the teachings of John (John, the Lord's cousin, who is called, "the baptist") are quoted, he says:

"I, John, bear record that he (the Lord Jesus) received a fulness of the glory of the Father; And he receivedallpower, both in heaven and on earth, and the glory of the Father was with him, for he dwelt in him." (D&C 93:16-17)

"Ascending up on high" means The Lord received a fullness of the glory of the Father, this included "all power" given to Him both in heaven and on earth. When these things were accomplished, The Lord Jesus and the Father were made one. Hence, The Lord would declare, "I aminthe Father, and the Father in me, and the Father and I are one." (D&C 93:3)

Joseph Smith taught: "And he (the Lord Jesus) being the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, and having overcome, received a fulness of the glory of the Father-possessing the same mind with the Father, which mind is the Holy Spirit, that bears record of the Father and the Son, and these three are one, or in other words, these three constitute the great, matchless, governing and supreme power over all things." (Lectures on Faith - Lecture 5)

It is this very "governing," and supreme "power" (D&C 88:13) over "all things" that is in all and through all things, including you.

In order to be the source of "the light of truth" in all things, it was necessary that The Lord also "descend below all things." This was accomplished by the great condescension of the Son of God coming from celestial realms to a fallen telestial world and there suffering the furthest depths of darkness, wickedness, suffering, and hell. By this, because of that which He experienced and suffered in accomplishing the great atoning sacrifice, He very literally "descended below all things." (3Nephi 11:11 and D&C 19:18)

Having descended below all things, having accomplished the great atoning sacrifice, and by ascending up on high by which He received the fullness of the glory of the Father, The Lord Jesus could declare, "I am the truelightthat lighteth every man that cometh into the world; And that I aminthe Father, and the Father in me, and the Father and I are one—The Fatherbecausehegaveme of his fulness, and the Son because I was in the world and madefleshmytabernacle, and dwelt among the sons of men." (D&C 93:2-4)

By these things, The Lord Jesus was given "all power" that extends throughout all of the immensity of space.(D&C 88:12) That power, that light, that light of Christ, that Holy Spirit, is in you. By virtue of "it" being in you, "He" is in you as well. Remember, the Holy Spirit IS the combined mind of the Father and the Son. No wonder then, The Lord would declare that it is He "who is in the midst of all things," (D&C 88:13) this includes you. He is "in" you.

As you ponder all these things, does it begin to mean something more to you when The Lord says; "...the kingdom of heaven is within you"? (Luke 17:21)

"The light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendeth it not; nevertheless, the day shall come when you shall comprehend even God, being quickened in him and by him. Then shall ye know that ye haveseenme, that I am, and that I am the truelightthat is in you, and that you are in me; otherwise ye could not abound." (D&C 88:49-50)